Deep-set buoy gear is an experimental gear type designed to target swordfish during the day. Recent trials indicate superior performance over shallow-set, nocturnal buoy gear, with higher target catch rates and lower shark bycatch. Development of a deep-set buoy fishery off the United States west coast must first address bycatch risk for bigeye thresher sharks and loggerhead sea turtles.
References
- Sepulveda CA, Aalbers SA (2018) Exempted Testing of Deep-set Buoy Gear and Concurrent Research Trials on Swordfish, Xiphias gladius, in the Southern California Bight. MFR 80:17–29. https://doi.org/10.7755/MFR.80.2.2
- Sepulveda CA, Wang M, Aalbers SA (2019) Post-release survivorship and movements of bigeye thresher sharks, Alopias superciliosus, following capture on deep-set buoy gear. Fisheries Research 219:105312. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.fishres.2019.105312
- Stohs SM, Harmon KM (2022) Bayesian prediction of fishery biological impacts from limited data: A deep-set buoy gear case study. Fisheries Research 249:106228. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.fishres.2022.106228